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TW: discussion of death


"Hermione, what did they say?" whispered Ginny.
It was dark in their bedroom and Hermione fumbled to light the oil lamp. Ginny was tucked under her covers and staring at Hermione beseechingly.
"Everything we already knew from eavesdropping or guessing about what You-Know-Who is doing and the way the Ministry is handling things. The only new thing was that You-Know-Who is looking for some kind of weapon."
"What do you think it could be?"
"I don't know. Something to make himself more powerful, or something he could use to threaten most of England to giving in to him."
Ginny shivered. "What if he gets it?"
"Then we'll need something to counter-act it."
"Come hold me?" Ginny asked.
Hermione nodded and turned off the light, making her way by feel over to Ginny's bed. She crawled over her friend and spooned her from behind.
"Under the covers?" Ginny asked, and Hermione slipped under the blankets.
She put one arm over Ginny and tucked her legs into Ginny's knees and pulled her friend close to her. Ginny started crying.
"I don't want my family to die. Everyone is in the Order who's old enough and Fred and George will join as soon as they can, and Ron and you are always there with Harry, and You-Know-Who wants to kill him. My mom is so scared. She's so scared all the time that something's going to happen to us. What if my mom dies? What would I do without my mom?"
Hermione held her tightly as Ginny sobbed. She didn't know what to say. The possibilities of people she loved dying were too real. She was terrified, and also guiltily relieved that her family wasn't magical. Her parents and aunts and cousins were uninvolved and relatively safer. Unless You-Know-Who decided to use them to get to her to get to Harry, they would remain untouched.
She needed to work out some way to protect them.
Hermione heard footsteps in the hallway pause before the door. Mrs. Weasley slowly turned the handle and opened the door. Her face was worried - she must have heard Ginny crying - but her face softened into a small smile when she saw Hermione comforting her daughter. Ginny's eyes were closed and she was crying too hard to notice her mother.
Hermione and Mrs. Weasley made eye contact. The older woman nodded slightly and soundlessly closed the door.
Hermione felt as though she had been awarded top marks on a paper, that Mrs. Weasley trusted her enough to take care of her daughter when she was normally so protective.
Ginny was crying less hard now, and Hermione reached up to brush some of the tears off her cheeks.
Ginny turned and buried her head in Hermione's sturnum. It was uncomfortable and awkward, but Hermione didn't let go.
She breathed deeply and evenly and Ginny's breathing gradually slowed to match hers.
When she was calm, Ginny looked up at Hermione. "Thank you," she said.
"You're silly," said Hermione, bumping her nose into her friend's. "I'll always be here if you need me."
"Don't die, okay?"
"Okay."
"Will you stay here with me tonight?"
"That sounds nice."
Ginny rolled back over and Hermione spooned her again.
Hermione listened as Ginny's breath became steady and even. Then, she closed her eyes and swiftly fell into sleep.